Russian athlete fails his doping test

The Russian delegation at the Pyeongchang Olympics announced Sunday that one of its athletes had failed a drug test.

Two Russian state news agencies cited Konstantin Vybornov, spokesman for the “Olympic Athletes from Russia” team, as saying the delegation received an official notification from the International Olympic Committee of the positive test. The IOC later Sunday said it had taken note of Vybronov’s statement.

Neither the Russian delegation nor the

IOC released the name of the athlete or the sport, but several media reports said it was Alexander Krushelnitsky, who won the bronze medal in mixed-doubles curling with his wife.

Vybornov said a “B” sample taken from the athlete would be analyzed within 24 hours.

A confirmed doping case could be an obstacle to Russia’s efforts to have the Russian team formally reinstated in time for the closing ceremony

Concussion concerns on slopes

Concussion dangers lurk everywhere in competitive skiing — from the iced-over deck of the halfpipe, to the steeply pitched landings on the slopestyle course, to the careening twists and turns of the snowboardcross track, to the aerials course, where “slap back” is the term for when a skier’s head slaps backward against the snow.

But at the Olympics, there are no hardand-fast rules regarding who diagnoses head injuries, and no hard-and-fast protocol that athletes must clear to be allowed back on the slopes after a concussion.

“A bit concerning,” said neurologist Kevin Weber of the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. “Because you worry that athletes in other sports that may not be as popular as football are getting, I wouldn’t say ignored, but the concussions they’re getting are under-scrutinized.” The International Ski Federation, which runs all the ski and snowboard events at the Olympics, has a 12-page booklet with thorough instructions on how to diagnose concussions. But ultimately, team doctors are given authority to clear their athletes.

U.S. athlete’s dad has norovirus

The father of U.S. hockey defenseman James Wisniewski has norovirus.

Wisniewski says his dad, Jim, who is 62, began feeling the effects of norovirus Saturday and is in quarantine.

The local organizing committee reports 283 cases of the infection.

Las Vegas viewership 20th

Halfway through the Winter Games, Las Vegas is tied with Pittsburgh for 20th in the top 20 national markets for NBC’S primetime viewership, the network announced Sunday. Both cities had a 15.0 local Nielsen rating, while Las Vegas held a slight edge in share (26 percent of homes with TVS in use at the time tuned in, to 24 percent for Pittsburgh).

The top five cities for viewerships: Salt Lake City (22.6, 41), Denver (22.1, 40), Milwaukee (18.8, 30), Seattle (18.7, 35) and a tie between Kansas City (18.4, 30) and San Diego (18.4, 35).